ABSTRACT
The principal-agent model and the theory of delegation, which originated in the new economics of organization, have been increasingly applied in the study of the European Union (EU).2 This chapter critically examines these applications. It argues that the principal-agent model holds significant promise for understanding the complex relationships and interactions that characterize the Union, not least on account of its greater institutional sensitivity over traditional theories of integration. However, its potential has as yet not been fully realized. This is due partly to the prior theoretical commitments of the EU scholars, who have used these models, partly to misunderstandings of the complexity and implications of the approach.
